Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

18 F-FDG PET and MRI Evaluation of Paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis

Autoimmune limbic encephalitis (paraneoplastic or nonparaneoplastic) is a rare condition involving autoantibodies against intracellular or cell-surface proteins of neurons. Patients typically present with acute and progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms. Although the criterion standard for diagnosis remains detection of autoantibodies in cerebrospinal fluid, there are characteristic imaging features that can aid in diagnosis, notably abnormalities in the bilateral medial temporal lobes on imaging, particularly with nuclear imaging. Here, we present 18 F-FDG PET findings of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis in a 65-year-old man

Variables associated with the decreased risk of intraventricular haemorrhage in a large sample of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Prematurity and other risk factors are associated with the development of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) in newborns with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Conversely, further analysis can determine what characteristics might be associated with a decreased risk of IVH. STUDY DESIGN: By using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes from data obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from 2000 to 2009, we identified a large number of cases of RDS. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified potential variables associated with decreased risk of IVH. RESULT: Our cohort included 194 621 neonates with RDS, of whom 20 386 (10.5%) developed IVH. Variables associated with decreased risk of both all grades of IVH and severe IVH only included infant of diabetic mother (IDM) status (OR 0.62 (0.54 to 0.70),

Abstract WMP100: State Based Stroke Center Designation Increases their Availability and Thrombolytic Administration Rates

Background: The Joint Commission (JC) recently proposed criteria for certification of comprehensive stroke centers (CSCs), which have capabilities for stroke care in addition to those of primary stroke centers (PSCs). CSCs may be ideal facilities to care for patients ineligible for intravenous thrombolysis (IT). We sought to assess the availability of PSCs and CSCs and variability in their designation mechanisms in the United States (US). Methods: Numbers of designated stroke centers were determined from state Departments of Health (DOH) and JC listings and DOH surveys. These were integrated with 2010 US Census bureau data. Minimum hospital volumes for annual procedures and disease specific admissions required for CSCs (IT for 25 stroke patients, care of 20 subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, endovascular embolization of 15 cerebral aneurysms and surgical clipping of 10 aneurysms) were extracted per state from the 2009 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Results: Projected number of CSCs are low (.28+/-0.54 per million capita). States with their own DOH based PSC designation had significantly higher numbers of all stroke centers per million capita (7+/-2 vs 3+/-2, p&lt;0.001), primarily constituted by DOH designated PSCs. These states also had a non-significant trend towards higher numbers of CSCs per million capita, (0.81+/-0.72 vs 0.18+/-0.47). NIS data demonstrate only 1.6% (82 of 5128) of hospitals meet all 4 volume criteria, with the most deficient item being required aneurysm clippings (3.9%). Among hospitals lacking only 1 of the 4 criteria (n=131), IT volume was the major deficiency (51.8%). States with DOH based PSC designation had significantly higher numbers of hospitals achieving this goal for IT (10.8% vs 3.0%, p&lt;0.001) even after controlling for bed size and teaching status (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.49-2.11). Conclusion: Projected numbers of CSCs are low. Hospital deficiencies must be investigated in order to meet the public’s needs. States with DOH designation mechanisms have higher numbers of all stroke centers, which administer thrombolysis at higher rates. More widespread adoption of these successful state policies may increase stroke centers’ ability to care for acute ischemic stroke. </jats:p